Vulnerable
by MiQuerida 8142
Summary: Esme helps Rosalie to accept Bella into the family as Rosalie has an epiphany. Set in Eclipse page 168,after Rosalie tells Bella her story of how she became a vampire . One shot.


**Vulnerable**

**By MiQuerida 8142**

**Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, setting, plot, ect. belong to Stephenie Meyer, I'm just borrowing them. No money is being made from this work.**

**Description: Esme helps Rosalie to accept Bella into the family as Rosalie has an epiphany. Set in Eclipse. One shot.**

**Setting: Eclipse page 168 (After Rosalie tells Bella about how she became a vampire.)**

**Rosalie POV**

Walking out of Edward's bedroom, I closed the door softly and smiled at the scene of Bella sleeping on the couch. I sighed. That girl was truly one of a kind.

Sensing her presence, I turned around to see Esme smiling at me. She was leaning against the wall across from Edward's bedroom door.

"I am so proud of you Rosalie. That took courage." she said, gesturing for me to walk with her. We walked together silently down the stairs, so as not to disturb the only one who slept. Getting to her and Carlisle's bedroom, she opened the door and sat down on their antique couch.

I sat beside her and stared at the reflection of myself in the full length mirror that adorned the wall. Normally, looking into a mirror I saw the curse of my grand outer beauty but tonight I didn't. With the memories still so fresh in my head I saw something different , something strange, vulnerable, about my expression.

My mother observed me for the few moments that my mind raced, then she broke the silence. "I'm not going to pretend that I know how hard that was fro you. I am however, going to tell you how glad I am that you seem to have finally accepted Bella. As Edward's mate she's now a part of this family that has been missing for a very long time."

I stared at her, willing her to understand. "I know that Esme. Truly, I accepted her long ago. But she is making the wrong _choice. _I just cannot believe she would decided to throw away her humanity like this."

"I know Rosalie." She cast her eyes down and a wave of shame passed over me. She _did_ know, maybe even more than I. I always dreamed of a baby, but she actually had one. She had a tiny little miracle to hold and to love, but it was so shortly lived. Three days. Three days was all she had. I couldn't even imagine her heartbreak.

"I'm sorry Esme," I sighed.

She looked at me and smiled. "I know. Rosalie, have you ever considered what it would mean for you if you had a choice? Do you truly believe that a happier ending would have been under a gravestone? Think about what you have Rosalie. Darling, would you really give up this life, your life with Emmett, with all of us to simply be under a gravestone? Things happen for a reason. There was a reason you were attacked all those years ago."

Seeing my protesting eyes, Esme held up her hand, telling me silently to let her continue. "I'm not saying that I understand it. What happened to you was one of the worst possible things that could ever happen to a woman. But you survived it. Granted, it took some outside help from Carlisle but have you ever asked Carlisle why he saved you all those years ago?" Esme continued her story without waiting for an answer. She knew I hadn't. "it was the look in your eyes that took him by surprise. Such fierce willingness to survive was trying to break though your pain. It was so uncommon in the '30's for a woman to express strong emotions. They usually expressed themselves by fainting and trying to appear as delicate as possible. But not you. You were strong, and you could be independent if you tried. Carlisle realised that you _needed_ saving. He had seen you from afar of course, on occasion, and he saw what others didn't. Certainly, he saw the beauty of your physical features." She paused here and glanced at me. "I'm ashamed to admit that at first I was a little jealous when he changed you. But I knew that part of the reason he did change you was for Edward's sake, so it passed quickly. And we all know what a successful pair you two made," she laughed.

I started to interrupt her but she once again held up her hand and told me silently to let her continue the story.

"Since most people stopped looking at the real you the moment they saw your features, Carlisle, being Carlisle, had to look further. You were a very hard person to read, but Carlisle saw a young girl who desperately needed love and understanding. So he decided to give you a chance at that. He gave you a chance at having a family that would love you, no matter the outcome.

I just stared at her. I wasn't usually one to let down my guard, even around my own family but suddenly there were tears in my eyes; tears that could never be shed. The tears were almost painful and I surprised myself by violently breaking down into dry, broken sobs. Esme pulled me to her and I rested my head on her shoulder and cried. I cried for my lose at humanity. I cried for my life that I had never thanked anyone for but most of all, I cried for family. They had been there for me for over eighty years and had never grown tired of me, never rejected me. Even when I became a murderer, and when I was just down right nasty. My family did all this because they truly loved and accepted me. And now I had gone much to far, I had rejected my own family. Out of mere jealously, out of fear and anger, I had rejected Bella. The family wouldn't be able to function without her anymore. We had all learnt that when we left her, and yet I still had to go and put everyone in danger. Edward had gone to the Volturi, the stupid boy. Bella, the human, Bella, the one who had been left behind for months without any contact from us had saved all of our lived. She deserved far more credit than what I gave her.

Esme held me and when I finally looked up at her, she kissed my forehead with the affection that only a true mother could give. "It's alright Rosalie. I'm just happy you learned something new here. It's not everyday a vampire learns something new."

I giggled like I was a five year old; something I never did in front of anyone but Emmett.

"Go now and find Emmett," she said as if reading my mind. "I'm sure he's just about to burst from the suspense of not knowing why Alice keeps telling him not to interrupt." She hugged me close and then stood up.

I walked to the door, smiled into the mirror as I passed and looked back at her. "Thank you Esme," I whispered. Then I walked to the living room and after rearranging my expression, stepped inside.

Emmett was at my side in an instant, grinning like a maniac. Alice just smiled at me.

I smiled back at Alice and feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders, grinned up at Emmett from the enclosure of his protective arms.

Looking at both of them I blurted "thank you for loving me."

Alice twirled and was at my side and in a flash had her arms around me as well. Emmett looked at me and whispered "of course." Then he laughed his Emmett laugh, probably relieved that I was back, and muttered "nothing is ever going to change that babe. We all love you."

I thought about my family later that night in Emmett's and my bedroom. This time though, the vision of my family was slightly different. Over the amount of time that I had known her, Bella's face had been slowly creeping into my subconscious family frame. Tonight I opened the invisible doors that had her locked out and let her in. The frame was finally complete. It was even now. For the first time I thought of our family changing, I smiled.

**A/N: Okay, so this is my first attempt to unfold Rosalie's character, no flames please, although I love constructive criticism. **

**Originally Emmett is out hunting with all the other Cullen male family members but for the sake of the story, let's just say he came home early.**

**Review please. Peace out- MiQuerida 8142 ****J **


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